Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you as well to our witness. Senator Dallaire, I know that we have a nation grateful for the way you have served in your role in the Canadian Forces, and we respect that.
One of the issues you identified is that prior to 2006 there was recognition of having to do more than just pension a veteran off and say, “Okay, go take care of yourself. Here's the money.” There needed to be a charter to follow the veteran's life and to be that support.
I was here in 2006 with Mr. Stoffer. That was an exciting part of the Veterans Charter, and we're moving through that. I would expect that you support the charter and the initiative. The goals of the charter were to make sure that we followed the veterans and supported them, and PTSD is part of that.
I find this interesting. We had a report last week by the department, which said that the rate of suicide within the general population was the same as it is among Canadian Forces members and veterans. There is going to be a witness after you who is going to say the same thing, that particularly those under the age of 24 did appear at increased risk when compared with civilian males of the same age.
So do you think it's not just the type of theatre we're seeing on the battlefield but also society itself and the value of life and some of the things that bring a hopelessness to those people who are seeing these horrific things happen to their fellow man?